Hydraulic motor.



No. 883,105. PATENTED MAR. 24,-1908.

B. F. FOWLER.

HYDRAULIC MOTOR.

APPLICATION run we. 21, 1907.

witnesses: V

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. FOWLER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO EDWARD E. AUSTIN AND ONE-THIRD TO GEORGE H. RICHARDS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

HYDRAULIC MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 21, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. FOWLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Hydraulic Motor, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to means for pumping water, though the motor mechanism is probably useful in other relations.

The primary object of the present inven tion is to provide novel and simple mechanism which can be cheaply constructed, and can be readily placed in or receive its supply from any small stream of water being operated thereby to force water to any desired point, the mechanism being such that it is not liable to become deranged or inoperative due to its necessary exposure.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of the motor. Fig. 2 is asectional view on the line AA of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line BB of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 (c and d) are sectional views illustrating a slightly modified form of bottom construction.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawm s.

in the embodiment disclosed, a suitable frame is employed, which includes legs 6, on which are mounted separate parallel flumes 7 divided by a partition 8. These flumes are designed to receive a supply of water from any suitable source, as for instance, a small stream, and at their discharge ends have openings 9 in their bottoms. Vertical guides 10, disposed beneath the discharge openings, serve to direct plunger members or buckets 11 in vertical paths of movement. These buckets have upstanding rods 12 connected at their lower ends to brackets 13 by nuts 14, and have racks 15 secured to their upper ends. The racks 15 are in mesh with the opposite side of an idler gear wheel 16 mounted on a vertical supporting frame 17 that includes a cross bar 18, at its upper end. The racks operate through this cross bar, and their downward movements are limited by pins 19 passed through the upper ends of said racks. It will be understood that instead of rigid racks, a link belt connected to the plunger members and operating over the gear wheel 16 may be emp oyed, or a cable may be substitutedfor said racks.

The buckets 11 have swinging bottoms 20 pivoted between their ends, and arranged to be normally held in closed position by suitable latches 21. They are, however, moved to open positions by projecting fingers 35 located at the lower ends of certain of the legs 6, and having their terminals disposed in the path of movement of the bottoms. In this construction therefore the latches 21 are of a character to permit the bottoms to be forced open under pressure. The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the detail views 0 and d, Fig. 4. In this embodiment, the latch 21* has an outturned upper end and a bar 36 located in the path of movement thereof, serves to swing the latch to an inoperative position upon the depression of the bucket, as will be evident by reference to said figure. Means are also employed for swinging the bottoms 20 to closed position when the buckets are elevated. To this end, depending fingers 34* are employed that extend downwardly into the buckets when said buckets are elevated and engage upstanding bearing brackets 34 carried by the bottoms at one side of the pivots.

Alever 22 is provided for each bucket, and is fulcrumed at its rear end to and between extensions 23 at the inlet ends of the flumes. These levers have pin and slot connections 28 with the racks, said racks being preferably held against lateral movement and in mesh with the gear wheel 16 by a roller 37. A pump 30 is located beneath each fiume, and has its upper end in communication therewith. This pump is provided with a discharge pipe 32 extending to any desired point of delivery, and operating in the pump, is a valved plunger of any suitable structure (not shown). These plungers have rod con nections 31 with the levers 22. Consequently upon the operation of the levers 22 by the bucket, as hereinafter described, it will be evident that the pumps will be operated.

In order to control the supply of motive fluid to the buckets, vertically movable gate valves 24; are located in each fiume 7 at different distances from the coacting bucket. These valves have connections with the ends of levers 25 fulcrumed between their ends on brackets 26 and located above the flumes.

The levers 25 are provided with crossbars 29 I which are disposed in the path of movement of stirrup bearings 28 depending from the levers 22. The levers 25 furthermore have flexible connections 27 in the form of chains or tapes with said levers 22.

The operation of the mechanism is substantially as follows: If water or other suitable motive fluid is supplied to the fiumes, assuming one of the buckets elevated, and the other one in its lowermost position. The further gate valve in the fiume that is associated with the elevated bucket will therefore be closed, while the nearer valve will be opened, as illustrated in Fig. 2, this being due to the flexible connection between the levers 22 and 25. The water that was located in the space between the valves will flow from the fiume into the bucket. The bottom 20 of this bucket is held closed by the finger 34 and the weight of water in said bucket will consequently cause the same to move downwardly. The gates in the other fiume are in a reversed position, that is to say, the further gate is elevated, while the nearer gate is depressed. Consequently the water will flow to the nearer gate. As the first mentioned bucket descends, the opposite bucket will be elevated, and as it approaches its elevated position, the bottom thereof will be closed by the finger 34!. Simultaneously with this closing movement, the flexible connections 27 will be tightened and will swing the levers 25 so as to reverse the positions of the valves and permit water to flow into the second bucket now elevated. On the other hand, the first mentioned bucket which has reached its lowermost position has its bottom opened so that the water will again freely discharge therefrom, and as it reaches said lowermost position, the stirrup 28 of the lever 22 will strike the cross bar 29 of the lever 25 and cause said lever to swing, so that the nearer gate valve is closed while the further gate valve is opened, permitting the water to flow to said nearer gate valve. In this connection it may be stated that the ascending bucket is closed and locked before the bottom of the lower bucket is opened, and consequently the fingers 34 are yielding to permit the necessary movements. This operation is of course continued as long as there is a supply of water or motive fluid to the fiumes. The operation of the levers 22 also effects the reciprocation of the piston rods 31, as will be evident, and consequently water drawn from the flumes will be delivered through pipes 32 to the desired points of discharge.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape,

proportion, arid minor details of construc tion, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. For instance, the front legs of the frame, here shown as approved, may be encased if it is so desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a hydraulic motor of the character set forth, the combination with a plurality of oppositely reciprocating buckets, of means for delivering motive fluid thereto, means for discharging liquid therefrom, a gear wheel between the buckets, means connected to the buckets and engaged with the gear wheel for effecting the opposite movements of said buckets, a pump for each bucket, and an operating device for each pump connected to said connecting means between said bucket and the gear wheel.

2. In a hydraulic motor of the character set forth, the combination with a fiume having a discharge end, of a pump having an inlet communicating with the fiume, an actuating bucket movable from and toward the discharge end of the fiume, means for controlling the passage of fluid from the fiume to the bucket, means for' effecting the discharge of fluid from the bucket, a lever located longitudinally over the fiume, a connection between the lever and the bucket, and another connection between the lever and the pump.

3.- In a hydraulic motor of the character set forth, the combination with a fiume, of a pump located below the fiume having its upper end communicating with the bottom thereof, an actuating bucket movable from and-toward the fiume, means for controlling the passage of fluid from the fiume to the bucket, means for effecting the discharge of fluid from the bucket, a lever located longitudinally over the flume, a piston rod for the pump connected to an intermediate portion of the lever, and connections between the end of the lever and the bucket.

4. In a hydraulic motor of the character set forth, the combination with a vertically movable bucket, of a bottom for the bucket pivoted between its ends thereto, means for delivering fluid to the bucket when the same is elevated, means located in the path of movement of one side of the bottom for eflecting the closing movement of said bottom when the bucket moves to its elevated position, and means for effecting the opening movement of the bottom when the bucket moves to its lowermost position.

5. In a hydraulic motor, the combination with a plurality of flumes, of vertically movable buckets movable to and beneath positions at the discharge ends of the flumes, a

swinging bottoms for the buckets, means for swinging the bottoms to closed positions when the buckets are elevated, means for opening the bottoms when the buckets are depressed, separate oppositely swinging substantially parallel levers located side by side and connected to the buckets, and pumps having inlets connected to the flumes and having piston rod connections with the levers.

6. In a hydraulic motor of the character set forth, the combination with a plunger member movable in opposite directions, of means for delivering motive fluid thereagainst, and controlling means for the motive fluid including oppositely operating valves both operating in said .delivering means, means for opening one valve and closing the other on the movement of the plunger member in one direction, and means for opening the other valve and closing the first mentioned on the movement in an op posite direction to thereby measure the amount of motive fluid delivered to the plunger member.

7. In a hydraulic motor of the character set forth, the combination with a plunger member movable in opposite .directions, .of means for delivering motive fluid thereto, controlling means for the motive fluid including oppositely operating valves located at different distances from 4 the plunger member, means for opening the further valve and closing the nearer on the movement of the plunger member in one direction, and means for opening the nearer valve and closing the further valve on the movement of the plunger member in an opposite direction.

8. In a hydraulic motor of the character set forth, the combination with a plunger member movable in opposite directions, of a flume delivering motive fluid to the plunger member, a lever fulcrumed between its ends, valves carried by the lever on opposite sides of its fulcrum and operating across said flume at different distances from the plunger member, and means connected to the plunger member for effecting the opposite swinging movements of the lever.

9. In a hydraulic motor of the character set forth, the combination with a flume having a discharge end, of a bucket movable toward and from the discharge end, a lever located over the flume, vertically movable gates connected to the lever on opposite sides of its fulcrum and operating in the flume, said-gates being disposed different distances from the plunger member, means for swinging the lever in one direction upon the movement of the plunger member in one direction, and means for swinging the lever in. an opposite direction on the movement of the plunmember in an opposite direction.

10. In a hydraulic motor of the character set forth, the combination with a flume, of a vertically movable bucket to which said flume delivers, a lever fulcrumed between its ends above the flume, oppositely swinging gates operating in the flume at different distances from the bucket and connected to the lever on opposite sides-of its fulcrum, another lever connected to the bucket, a flexible connection between the lever, and a stirrup carried by the latter lever and engaging the first mentioned lever to move the same in one direction.

11. In a hydraulic motor of the character set forth, the combination with oppositely movable plunger members, of means for separately delivering motive fluid against the plunger members, said. means including a set of oppositely moving valves for each plunger member, means for effecting the opposite movements of the valves of each set, and means for effecting the opposite movements of the corresponding valves of the different sets.

12. In a hydraulic motor of the character set forth, the combination with oppositely moving plunger members, of a connection between the same, means for delivering motive fluid against the plunger members, and a set of automatically operated oppositely swing ing valves for each plunger member, separate from the plunger members and operated upon their movement to alternately cut oil. the supply of motive fluid to the plunger members.

13. In a hydraulic motor of the character set forth, the combination with oppositely moving plunger members, of a connection between the same, supply flumes for delivering motive fluid against the plunger members, levers, a set of valves rigidly connected to the opposite ends of each lever and operating across one of the flumes to control the passage of motive fluid therethrough, and means for automatically effecting the opposite swinging movement of the levers.

14. In a hydraulic motor of the character set forth, the combination With separate flumes, of a vertically movable bucket cooperating with each flume, a plurality of valves operating-in each flume, means for effecting the opposite movement of the buckets, and means controlled by said buckets for eifecting the opposite movements of the valves in each flume.

15. In a hydraulic motor of the character set forth, the combination with a sup orting frame, of independent parallel flumes l ocated therein and having discharge ends, vertically movable buckets movable toward and from the discharge ends, a gear wheel, racks connected to the buckets and operating against the opposite sides of the gear wheel, swinging bottoms for the buckets, means for automatically swinging the bottoms to closed ositions upon the elevation of the buc rets,

means for swinging the bottoms to open position u on the depression of the buckets, a pumps connected to the last mentioned lever fu crumed between its ends over each levers. flume, vertically sliding gate valves connect- In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as ed to the ends of each lever and operating in my own, I have hereto affixed my signature 0 the different flumes, other levers fulcrumed in the presence of two Witnesses.

at one end and connected at the other end to a bucket, a flexible connection between the I BENJAMIN FOWLER first mentioned and last mentioned levers, Witnesses: pumps having their inlets communicating A.C.H1DDLESTADT,

10 With the flumes, and piston rods for the CARL LUIIMAN. 

